Automobile bumper



-AugQlz 1924.

H. SCHMIDT AUTUIOBILB BUIPBR orney. l

Patented Aug.' 12, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY SCHMIDT, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NOR TOl GEO. A. WEID- MIAN C0., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYI'ANA1 A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

AUTOMOBILE BUMPER.

T 0 all whom t ma concern.' 4

Be it known t at I, HENRY SCHMIDT, a

citizen of the United States, residing at l Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile Bumpers, of which the followin@r is a specification.

i y invention relates to automobile bumpers (sometimes called fenders), and it has particular relation to an automobile bumper of the pneumatic type.

' lhe principal object of my invention is to provide a simple and eiicient automobile l5 bumper of the pneumatic type, which will be relatively'light, yet durable, which may be inexpensively constructed and conveniently assembled, and in which the means for maintaining the bumper inflated may be readily accessible for the purpose of replacement and repair.

The nature and characteristic features of my present invention will be more readily understood from the following description,

taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which- .Figure lis a to or plan view of an automobile bumper em odying the main features cf my present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof, en lafrgpd, taken approximately on the line 2--2 o ig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of one end of the structure, also enlarged;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a cap meinber used at each end of the structure, the same being shown detached; and

lFig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary rspective view illustrating the manner o assembling certain of the componenti parts.

Referrin to the drawings, in the articular ein iment of my invention t erein shown, 6 is a resilient tubular member which may, if desired, be made of a suitable length t5 of rubber hose of the desired diameter pro vided with the usual textile reinforcement embedded therein. Mounted on the exterior ofthe tubular member 6, on the side thereof Application led December 17, 1923. Serial No. 681,1132

as that illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. There is alsoY provided a`relatvely rigid internal bar 8, also sector shaped in cross section, complemental to the internal surface of the tubular member 6, and being curved or shaped in its longitudinal extension complemental to the shape'of the external sector bar 7. For the purpose of securing the sector bars 7 and 8 to the tubular member 6, and to each other,l the internal sector bar 8 is provided at suitable locations along its length with a\plur ality of bolts 9, the heads 10 of which are preferably countersunk in the internal sector bar 8 so as thereby to provide a smooth internal surface. rlhe bolts 9 are preferably brazed or otherwise fixedly secured to the internal sector bar 8, for a purpose te be presently explained. The

bolts 9 extend through suitable apertures 11 in the tubular member 6,- and also( through suitable apertures 12in the external sec tor bar 7, and are provided on their pro]ect1ng threaded ends with nuts 13 forv clamping the sector bars to the tubular member and to each other, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Each end of the tubular member 6 is provided with a; closure device comprising an encompassing cap member 14, each of said cap membersbeing provided with a shank or shoulder 15 (see Fig. 4) extending alongthe external sector bar 7. Bolts 16 serve to secure the cap members 111 tothe ends of the structure, said bolts being .threaded in suitable apertures in the respective end portions of the sector bar 7. l

Mounted within the tubular member 6 is an inner tube 17, preferably made of soft iexible rubber, and having its ends closed to make the same air tight. The inner tube 17 is provided with an air valve 18, referably of the type and size as are usua 1y .em-

loyed in connection with automobilev tires.

he air valve is preferably located near one end of the inner tube 17., and the sector `bars 7 and 8 and thev tubular member are also oomplementally apertured to pxermit the air valve 18 to extend therethroug see Fig. 3).

There is also preferably provided alongitudinally extending flap member 18, preferably made of tough textile material and interposed between the inner tube 17- and the internal sector bar 8 (see Figs. 2 and 3). For securing the bumper to the' automobile,

.brackets 2O of any preferred type, such, for

example, as are commonly use r attach- It is desirable that as little metal as possible be employed on the front-side of the bumper, and for this reason the ca members- 14g in the front are made olil o sufficient longitudinal extension to hol the external tubular member from being detached therefrom, and consequently, for the purpose of affording the requisite support against disarrangement, the shank or shoulder 15 is provided for each of the ca members on the rear ortion thereof., whic shoulders, as aforesai extend along and are secured to the external sector bar 7.

Bythe foregoing arrangement, there will be provided an automobile bumper which may be readily assembled, and in which the parts are conveniently accessible. for the purpose of replacement and repair. By securing the bolts 9 to the internal sector bar 8, as hereinbefore described, considerable convenienceA in the initial assembly of the' structure will be afforded, as it will be necessary only to push the internal sector bar through the resilient tubular member 6 to its propery position, thence passing the bolts through the apertures 11 of 'the tubular member, then placing the external sector bar 7 in position, and finally securing these parts to each other by applying the nuts 13 upon` the projecting threaded ends' of the bolts 9. The inner tube 17 may be readily inserte in the external tubular member 6 through one end of the structure, it be-ing underf stood that the cap member 14 at one end is left detached for-this purpose, and, the air valve 18 being located adjacent the end of the inner tube 17 the same may be readily `positioned by` passing the same through suitable apertures which are provided in the sector bars' 7 and 8 and the resilient tube 6. It should'be understood that when the cap member 14 with the end of the external tube 6 will 'be proportional to the' pressure within the inner tube 17, and the ends of the external tubularmember will A accordinglebe securely heldftherein.

It will seen that there is thus provided a simple, durable and eicient automobile bumper of the pneumatic type, which may be inexpensively constructed and readily and conveniently assembled, and in which the parts are conveniently accessible y at all times for replacement and repair,v

the ends of.

. tube,

Having' thus described the nature and characteristic features of my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A pneumatic bumper for automobiles comprising a resilient tubular member, a relatively rigid external bar sector shaped respect to said tubular member, means for securing said tubular member to said external bar, an internal resilient air ti ht means forinflating said internal tue", and a cap member of rigid material mointed on each end of the structure and each provided with a shoulder portion overlapping the external bar and extending toward the center of the structure, said cap members being secured to the external bar and forming closures at the ends of the resilient tubular member first mentioned for the purpose of confining the internal resilient tube therein.

. 2. A pneumatic bumper for automobiles comprising a resilient tubular member, relatively rigid internal and external bars sector shaped in cross section extending lengthwise with respect to said tubular member and between which said tubular member is secured, means for securing said bars to each other and to the tubular member, an internal resilient air tight tube means for inflatin said internal tube, and a cap member of rigid material mounted on each end of the structure and each provided with a shoulder portion overlapping the external bar and extending toward the center of the structure, said cap members being secured to the external bar and formin closures at the ends of the resilient tu ular member first mentioned for the urpose of confining the internal resilient tu e therein. 3. A pneumatic bumper for automobiles comprising a resilient tubul-ar member, relatively rigid internal and external bars sector shaped in cross section extending lengthwise wit respect to said tubular member and in cross section extending lengthwise with between which said tubular member is seh currd, bolts for securing saidfbars to each other and to the tubular member, said bolts having theirheads secured to said internal bar and extending through the tubular member land the external bar, an' internal resilient air tight tube, means for inflating said' internal tube, Iand a closure member at each end of the resilient tubular member first mentioned.

4. A pneumatic bumper for automobiles comprising a resilient tubular member, rela-l tively rigi internal and external bars sector shaped in cross section extending le hwise with respect to said tubular mem r and between which said tubular member is secured, bolts for securing said bars to elch other and tothe tubular member, said bolts having their heads countersunk in and secomprising a resilient tubular member, .rela` @greater tively rigid internal and external bars sector shaped in cross section extending lengthwise with respect to said tubular member and between which said tubular member is secured,-

bolts for securing said bars to each other and to the tubular member, said bolts having their heads countersunk in and secured to said internal bar and extending through the tubular member and the external bar,-

an internal resilient air tight tube, an air valve attached to said internal tube adjacent one end thereof and extending through apertures in the first mentioned 'resilient tubularrmember and the bars to which the same is attached, and a closure member'at each vend of the resilient tubularl .member rst mentioned. f

6. A pneumatic bumper forautomobiles comprising a resilient tubular member, rel/atively rigid internal and external bars sector shaped in cross section extending lengthwise with respect "to said tubular member and between which said tubular member is secured, bolts for securing said bars to each other and to the tubular member, said bolts hav` ing their heads countersunk in and secured to said internal bar and extending through .the tubular member and the external bar,

an internal resilient air tight tube, an air valve attached to said internal tube adjacent one end thereof and extending through vapertures in the first mentioned resilient tubular member and the sector bars to which the same is attached, and a cap member mounted on each end of the structure, said cap members being secured to the external bar and formin closures for the ends of the resilient tubu ar member first mentioned.

7. A neumatio bumper for automobiles comprising a resilient tubular member, relatively rigid internal and external bars sector shaped in crossv section extending lengthwise with respect to said tubular member and between which lsaid tubular member is secured, bolts for securing said bars to each other and to the tubular member, said bolts having theirheads countersunk in and se- -c-ured to said internal bar and extending through the tubular member and the external bar, an internal resilient air tight tube, an air valve attached t0 said internal tube adjacent one end thereof and extending through apertures in the tirst mentioned resilient tubular member and the sector bars to which the same is attached, and a cap member mounted on each end of the structure and each provided with a shoulder portion overlapping the external bar and extending toward the center of the structure, said cap members 'being secured to the external bar'y and forming closures for the ends of the resilient tubular member first men tioned.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name,

HENRY SCHMlDT.. 

